Variable discharge aerosol spray nozzle

ABSTRACT

A spray nozzle is disclosed for a fluid dispenser, consisting of a button mounted on the end of a product discharge tube or valve stem of the dispenser. The button has a discharge orifice through which the fluid product is sprayed, and the button and stem are formed in their mating surfaces to provide a variable restriction to discharge of fluid from the orifice in different relative rotated positions of the button on the stem.

O United States Patent us] 3,638,867 Venus, Jr. Feb. 1, 1972 [54] VARIABLE DISCHARGE AEROSOL [56] References Cited SPRAY NOZZLE UNITED STATES PATENTS 72 l t F k V W l 1 men or Jr 2,924,393 2/1960 Robert ..239/327 [73] Assignee: The Risdon Manufacturing Company, 3,176,888 4/1965 Focht ..222/402.l7

Naugatuck, Conn. Primary Examiner-M. Henson Wood, Jr. [22] Sept 1970 Assistant ExaminerMichael Y. Mar 1 APPL 71,979 Attorney-Steward & Steward [57] ABSTRACT A spray nozzle is disclosed for a fluid dispenser, consisting of a [52] U.S.Cl ..239/573, l37/625.32,222/402.l7, button mounted on the end of a product discharge tube of 239/579 251/310 valve stem of the dispenser. The button has a discharge orifice [5 l Int. Cl ..B05b 1/32 through which the fl id product is sprayed, and the button and Fleld of Search 7, 7 stem are formed in their mating surfaces to provide a variable restriction to discharge of fluid from the orifice in different relative rotated positions of the button on the stem.

8 Claims, 7 Drawing Figures PNEWEU HE H373 3,638,867

Fa, lll-llllllllll l lllllllllll l- 4%? INVENTOR FRANK VENUS VARIABLE DISCHARGE AEROSOL SPRAY NOZZLE This invention relates to nozzles for use in dispensing fluid from small consumer-sized containers, and is particularly directed to spray-actuator devices employed for finger operation of a conventional aerosol valve or manually operated dispensing pump to effect discharge of fluid products stored in a container.

Spray nozzles of the type here concerned commonly take the form of molded plastic buttons of various shapes and sizes to permit one-finger operation of the valve stem or pump plunger of the dispensing package. The button is provided with a socket for receiving the end of the tubular stem to permit mounting of the button thereon in closing relation to the open upper end of the stem or plunger. The button is provided with a discharge orifice communicating internally with the stem-receiving socket to direct and control the discharge of fluid product from the container in a desired manner. The discharge of the product may be in the form of a fine spray, mist, droplets, foam or solid stream, depending on the nature of the product and the purpose to which it is to be applied.

For certain applications it is desirable to provide means operable by the user of the dispensing package to control the rate of discharge of fluid product on actuation of the valve or operation of the dispensing pump. Some of the means proposed for doing this have included the provision of a spray button having a small number, usually two or three, different sized discharge orifices, these being selectively brought into operation by rotating the button on the valve stem to different angularly rotated positions. Arrangements of this type are shown in U.S. Pat. Nos. 2,887,273 and 3,083,872. Another approach has been to provide a valve stem having a variably restricted entry port, illustrated for example in U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,188,008 and 3,209,960. Alternatively, arrangements for directly throttling a single fixed orifice in the button have also been suggested, as shown in US. Pat. Nos. 2,924,393 and 3.l76,888.

The present invention pertains generally to spray nozzles of the last-mentioned type but offer better control and lower cost than the arrangements heretofore proposed.

In brief, the invention comprises a spray button mounted upon a tubular duct or valve stem which communicates with a stored body of fluid product to be dispensed from a container. The button is secured to the stem by providing a socket let into an underface of the body of the button within which the outer end of the valve stem is received, fonning a close fluidtight fit while permitting relative rotation of the button on the stem. The socket of the button is closed at its inner or distal end, and a discharge passage is formed through the body of the button communicating with the socket adjacent the closed end. As more specifically described hereinafter, the socket wall is formed to provide an arcuate recess in the region surrounding the inner end of the discharge passage, and the wall of the tubular stem is likewise formed to cooperate with the button recess, whereby in different angularly related positions of the button on the stem, varying degrees of restriction to the passage of fluid from the stem to the discharge passage are produced.

The invention is illustrated by a typical embodiment shown in the accompanying drawings and described hereinafter. As will be apparent from the illustrative embodiment, the invention may take specifically different structural forms, and the appended claims are to be interpreted accordingly.

In the drawings,

FIG. I is a fragmentary view in side elevation, partly in section, of a spray button and stem combination incorporating the invention;

FIG. 2 is a fragmentary perspective view in side elevation of just the stem portion of the combination shown in FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a sectional view through the button portion of the combination shown in FIG. 1, taken on line 33 of that figure;

FIG. 4 is a sectional view on line 44 of FIG. 1;

FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional view similar to that of FIG. 4 but showing the parts in differently rotated relation;

FIG. 6 is a cross-sectional view similar to that of FIGS. 4 and S but showing a modified form of construction; and

FIG. 7 is a cross-sectional view in side elevation of the button member of the combination shown in FIG. 6.

Spray nozzle 10 illustrated in FIG. 1 consists of a tubular stem 12 and a spray button 14 mounted on the upper end of the stem. Button 14 is provided with a socket 16 which opens onto the under face 18 of the body of the button. The distal or inner end of socket I6 is closed by top wall 20. Button 14 is provided with a discharge passage and orifice 22 which passes through a sidewall of the button. At the inner end of orifice passage 22, the wall of socket I6 is formed to provide a depression 24 constituting a narrow, circumferentially extending recess of maximum depth adjacent the intersection with orifice 22, tapering in radial direction to zero depth at the end of recess 24 arcuately remote from its deepest end.

Tubular stem 12 is notched adjacent its upper end to form aperture 26 opening laterally or radially of the tube. With the button mounted on the tube, a close sliding fit is made within socket 16 forming a fluidtight but rotatable seal throughout the respectively adjacent surfaces of the tube and socket wall. Socket 16 is made deep enough so that all portions of aperture 26 are confined axially inwardly with respect to socket 16 of a complete peripheral seal between the wall of socket l6 and the adjacent surface of tube 12. Thus, fluid product received in tube 12 is discharged only through orifice 22 and then only so long as aperture 26 of stem 12 communicates with recess Communication between aperture 26 and recess 24 of course depends on the rotated position of button 14 on tube 12, and as seen in FIGS. 4 and 5, provision is made for limiting this rotated adjustment between a position permitting maximum flow of product and an alternate position, FIG. 5, in which no product discharge can take place. In order to provide definite stops at the aforesaid limiting positions, a lug 30 is formed in the wall of socket 16 to project radially inward of the socket. Lug 30 lies in notch 26 of tube 12 when the button is mounted on the tube and engages the edges of notch 26 at the limiting positions of rotation of button 14. For convenience, detents 32 are formed in the lower shelf 34 of notch 26, and the lower edge of lug 30 engages these to prevent inadvertent relative rotation between the members. Angular rotated positions immediate the limiting positions are possible and due to the radial taper of recess 24, throttling or restricting of the fluid discharge path to orifice 22 is effected.

A modified form of nozzle arrangement is illustrated in FIGS. 6 and 7. The configuration of button U4 and tube II2 here is essentially identical to that described above, with the exception of the means for limiting angular rotated adjustment of the members. This takes the form of a lug I30 projecting radially externally of tube 112 and a receiving, arcuate recess 136 formed in the socket wall of button 114 at a point generally diametrically opposite the radially tapered recess 124 communicating with discharge orifice 122.

It will be apparent that other modifications can be made in the structural details of the nozzle device without departing from the invention.

What is claimed is:

l. A spray nozzle for a fluid dispenser, comprising a tubular stem forming a duct for flow of fluid product therethrough and a button member mounted on an end of said stem closing said end;

said button member having a socket opening onto one of its faces within which said stem is received in the mounted position, said socket being closed at its distal end, and a discharge passage leading through the wall of said button to communicate with said socket adjacent said distal end; a narrow circumferentially extending recess of varying depth along its arcuate extent located in the wall of said socket and positioned to intersect the inner end of said discharge orifice;

said tubular stem having an aperture formed in its sidewall,

all portions of said aperture being confined within said socket when said button is mounted on said stem;

said socket wall and the outer surface of said tubular stem forming a fluidtight but relatively rotatable seal at their respectively abutting areas when said stem is received in said socket in the mounted position of said button, said abutting areas including one portion that is peripherally continuous axially outwardly of said stem aperture.

2. A spray nozzle as defined in claim 1, wherein said aperture in said stem is formed by a notch in the end of the stem.

3. A spray nozzle as defined in claim 2, wherein said button member includes a lug projecting radially inwardly from the wall of said socket, said lug being received in said stem aperture in the mounted position of said button on said stem, said lug limiting the rotational positioning of said button relative to said stem.

4. A spray nozzle as defined in claim 1, wherein said recess in said socket wall tapers along its arcuate extent from a maximum depth to zero depth.

5. A spray nozzle as defined in claim 4, wherein said button member includes a lug projecting radially inwardly from the wall of said socket, said lug being received in said stem aperture in the mounted position of said button on said stem, said lug determining first and second limiting rotated positions of said button relative to said stem, said button when rotated to said first limiting position effecting maximum exposure of said arcuate recess to communication with said stem aperture, while relative rotated positions of said button and stem away from said first limiting position produce progressively reduced exposure of said arcuate recess to communication with said stem aperture.

6. A spray nozzle as defined in claim 5, wherein there is no exposure of said arcuate recess to said stem aperture in said second limiting rotated position of said button.

7, A spray nozzle as defined in claim I, wherein one of said button and stem members has a radially projecting lug and the other has a recess for receiving said lug on its respectively adjacent sealing surface 8. A spray nozzle as defined in claim 7, wherein said projecting lug is on said stem and said recess is formed in the wall of said button socket. 

1. A spray nozzle for a fluid dispenser, comprising a tubular stem forming a duct for flow of fluid product therethrough and a button member mounted on an end of said stem closing said end; said button member having a socket opening onto one of its faces within which said stem is received in the mounted position, said socket being closed at its distal end, and a discharge passage leading through the wall of said button to communicate with said socket adjacent said distal end; a narrow circumferentially extending recess of varying depth along its arcuate extent located in the wall of said socket and positioned to intersect the inner end of said discharge orifice; said tubular stem having an aperture formed in its sidewall, all portions of said aperture being confined within said socket when said button is mounted on said stem; said socket wall and the outer surface of said tubular stem forming a fluidtight but relatively rotatable seal at their respectively abutting areas when said stem is received in said socket in the mounted position of said button, said abutting areas including one portion that is peripherally continuous axially outwardly of said stem aperture.
 2. A spray nozzle as defined in claim 1, wherein said aperture in said stem is formed by a notch in the end of the stem.
 3. A spray nozzle as defined in claim 2, wherein said button member includes a lug projecting radially inwardly from the wall of said socket, said lug being received in said stem aperture in the mounted position of said button on said stem, said lug limiting the rotational positioning of said button relative to said stem.
 4. A spray nozzle as defined in claim 1, wherein said recess in said socket wall tapers along its arcuate extent from a maximum depth to zero depth.
 5. A spray nozzle as defined in claim 4, wherein said button member includes a lug projecting radially inwardly from the wall of said socket, said lug being received in said stem aperture in the mounted position of said button on said stem, said lug determining first and second limiting rotated positions of said button relative to said stem, said button when rotated to said first limiting position effecting maximum exposure of said arcuate recess to communication with said stem aperture, while relative rotated positions of said button and stem away from said first limiting position produce progressively reduced exposure of said arcuate recess to communication with said stem aperture.
 6. A spray nozzle as defined in claim 5, wherein there is no exposure of said arcuate recess to said stem aperture in said second limiting rotated position of said button.
 7. A spray nozzle as defined in claim 1, wherein one of said button and stem members has a radially projecting lug and the other has a recess for receiving said lug on its respectively adjacent sealing surface.
 8. A spray nozzle as defined in claim 7, wherein said projecting lug is on said stem and said recess is formed in the wall of said button socket. 